Kenya is experiencing a troubling rise in illegal wildlife trade, particularly involving queen ants that can fetch up to $220 each on the global black market. This trend has attracted smugglers to East Africa, as demand from rare pet collectors in China and Europe grows. In a recent case, two men appeared in a Nairobi court charged with illegal ant trafficking after being found in possession of hundreds of these insects. This surge in ant smuggling is linked to a hobby that gained popularity during the Covid era, highlighting a new frontier of wildlife trafficking.